Danica: Epilogue

Danica stroked Celes' rounded bottom, letting her finger trail in the cleft with a feather light touch before she said to Andrea, "You should return the favor. Celes has been waiting for so long to feel you there for real."

Andrea quivered, moaned, and sat up. Staring into Celes' eyes with mischievous desire, she licked her lips and moved out of the way so Celes could lie down.

Several hours later, all three women drifted off into utterly spent slumber, each having come so many times they couldn't hope to count the number of orgasms they had given each other.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Danica awoke with a puzzled expression on her face. She had dreamed of a beautiful valley, surrounded by majestic mountains and a blanket of mist. The image had been so real, and so detailed, she could remember every tiny element as if she had truly walked through the valley, exploring it as she did in her dream. She remembered the babbling brooks, flowing through fields full of flowers, and pools stirred by gentle waterfalls cascading from the rocks above.

Feeling a little knotted up – the bed certainly not large enough for three to sleep in comfortably – Danica tried to stretch a little and slide out of the bed. Celes and Andrea stirred as she rose, awakening to smile at each other for a moment before the aches in their own muscles had them stretching out the kinks as well.

They all started when the door opened, grabbing for the coverings on the bed. The three-way tug of war only succeeded in partially covering any of them, and they relaxed when they saw it was Marlena.

The woman's hair was disheveled, her robes wrinkled and obviously tossed on with haste. Danica laughed and said, "You look like you had a fun night."

Marlena's face filled with color, and she grinned. "Look who's talking," she countered, raising her eyebrows at the three nude women partially hidden by a sheet covered in wet spots.

Andrea giggled, stuck out her tongue, and then said, "I really need a bath. I had the strangest dream."

Celes looked at her and said, "So did I – a valley full of flowers, surrounded in mists."

Marlena and Danica both stared at the women in surprise. Danica said, "I had the same dream."

"So did I," Marlena revealed.

"Okay, this can't be a coincidence. Let's go get in the bath, and we'll compare notes while we get cleaned up," Danica suggested.

They all sank into the bath, discussing the dream and discovering that they had all indeed dreamed the exact same thing. After a short while, they heard a call from the other room, "Danica, it's me."

"Come in, Devan, we're in the bath."

Devan was just as rumpled as Marlena had been when she arrived. The women laughed and Devan smiled, twitching her eyebrows. "Gods, Danica, does that man ever stop? I'm going to be bowlegged for a week after last night, and he was rock hard this morning and looking for more." Untying her robe, the only thing holding it closed, she let it drop to the floor and said, "Make some room, I need a bath too."

Danica asked, "Did you have an odd dream last night?"

Devan shook her head and sank into the bath with a sigh of relief. "No, I don't even remember passing out. I just remember coming and coming, and then waking up lying on a hard cock. You're going to have to show me where you find your men, Danica."

Danica chuckled, "Well, maybe it was just us then."

"You know, I almost feel like I know where that place is," Celes said, smoothing water out of her hair.

Danica looked at her and agreed, "So do I."

Nods and surprised expressions from Andrea and Marlena confirmed that they had experienced the same feeling.

"We should try to see if we can find it with the Hellgate later," Danica suggested.

"That spell is dangerous, Danica," Devan warned. "The demons are sneaky. They can get to you over time.

Celes laughed and countered, "Not Danica's. They cower like kicked dogs every time she's there. They won't even show their faces unless she gives them leave."

Devan looked at her sister and said, "You summoned up a Soul Blade, didn't you?"

"I had a sword appear in my hand, if that's what you mean," Danica replied.

Devan blew out a long whistling breath and said, "That isn't even mentioned most places the spell is written down, because so few people accomplish it. Maybe I need to experiment with that spell more often and see if I can do it. The spell is really useful, despite the dangers it presents."

"I was really, really angry with those imps when it happened," Danica explained.

"Strong emotions they're not trying to cause are supposed to be what makes it happen, so that makes sense," Devan affirmed, and then dunked her head in the water to wet it. "Darkniciad and Ashtar can do it, and so could Zoraster, but I don't know anybody else offhand that has managed it. There are all sorts of rumors about what you can do once you've summoned the Soul Blade. I know Darkni has been able to expand the size of his personal realm, and even link his realm with others. He and Ashtar have done that. Darkni has summoned it up outside the Hellgate before too. Demons are really afraid of Soul Blades."

Upon hearing that, Danica raised her hand up out of the water and willed the blade to appear. Even she was a little startled when the gleaming sword appeared in her hand. Looking at it with a smile, she said, "That's good to know."

Devan pursed her lips as she washed her hair. "Okay, that's about enough of showing me up. I need to stop playing around so much and get back to studying regularly. I can't have my little sister outdoing me all the time."

"That will probably come in handy when hellspawn start breathing down our necks," Celes noted, nodding toward Andrea.

"As long as I'm feeling humbled... I may as well ask if you'd be willing to sit down and talk to me for a while too, Marlena. I consider myself to be a fair expert in illusions, but anybody who can call up the Discordance obviously has me far outstripped." Turning to look at Danica and Celes, Devan added, "And the two of you still owe me some instruction in that fast spell casting technique you learned at the Forge."

Marlena rinsed the soap from her face and responded, "Of course I will."

"I have some unique spells I've created that you might like, too. Maybe even a few that Zoraster hadn't stolen." She issued the last few words in a low growl.

Andrea was struggling to wash her back, and Devan moved over to take the cloth, doing it for her.

"Thank you," Andrea said, and then added, "I don't know any wizard magic, so I guess I'll be a little left out."

Devan leaned in and purred, "I can think of a few things we could learn together."

Andrea blushed a bright red and covered her face, drawing a laugh from the other women in the bath. She splashed water at them, saying, "Oh, stop teasing."

Danica looked at her sister with a mock expression of irritation and chided, "You keep trying to seduce all my friends."

"We're sisters, we should share," Devan responded with a sweet smile.

Danica laughed and said, "Well, we'll all find a nice quiet spot in one of the study rooms and get down to business as soon as we have something to eat. Marlena and I will show Devan what we know. Celes and Andrea have those nice thick books to look through and learn from."

"I'll send for one of the less reclusive witches here on the isle and see if they'll be willing to show you two what they know," Devan offered. "I bet they'll be more than willing once they hear about those tomes."

"It will be nice to study and know I'm not helping an evil madman by doing it," Marlena said with a smile.

Danica and Celes both nodded enthusiastically in agreement, and then they all finished their baths, talking excitedly about their plans as they dressed and moved toward the kitchen.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

The women all shared their knowledge throughout the day, Devan delighted by the wealth of original spells her sister, Celes, and Marlena had to offer. They were in turn happy to discover Devan had large numbers of unique magics to give them in exchange. They spent more time copying spells than they did studying them.

Andrea proved to be a fast learner, amazing the witches who had agreed to meet for study with her and Celes. Andrea's knowledge of the various herbs used in the creation of potions served her well, and she was soon instructing Celes as much as the other, more experienced witches were.

It was only their stomachs rumbling that tore them away from their books. When they arrived in the dining hall for the evening meal, Devan introduced them to Christi – Mindblind's wife – and the half-elven wizardess Crystania, who had come to the isle to catch up on what they had missed the previous day. Christi enthusiastically added her invitation to come visit to the one Arilee had offered the day before, the desire in her eyes completely unmasked as she spoke with the newcomers.

As they sat sipping wine, Brandon walked up to Danica, looking a bit nervous. Danica gave him a puzzled look and asked, "What's wrong, Brandon?"

Brandon cleared his throat and answered, "Well, Mindblind asked me to come to Fightershaven and take a place in his guard. I've heard of the place, and it sounds like a damn lot of fun. I was seriously considering it."

A crooked grin crossed Danica's face. "Are you asking me for permission, you silly man?"

Brandon chuckled and replied, "Well, I'm just sort of torn. I don't want to leave you ladies, but I'm really out of place here."

Danica laughed and told him, "Go, Brandon. We can come visit you – we've already been invited rather enthusiastically – and you'll just be bored to tears here."

"You're not upset about..." Brandon began.

Danica waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "I told you last night it didn't bother me, didn't I?"

Brandon smiled and said, "Yeah, you did. Your sister's a real screamer, I though I was..."

Danica mimed covering her ears and said, "Please, Brandon, I really don't want to hear about it," chuckling when she finished.

Brandon laughed and admitted, "Yeah, I guess it would be a bit weird, huh? You all will come visit, won't you?"

"Whenever we can."

"I'm going to go get another beer then. That cleric knows his brew – best I've ever tasted. Mindblind says he's got casks of it at the Hall."

"You'll fit right in," Danica observed with a laugh.

"I think so," Brandon agreed, and then walked over to the cask where Vladamir enthusiastically refilled his mug.

"I keep thinking about that valley," Marlena said, sitting down her glass and looking at Danica.

Realizing she had been thinking about it off and on for most of the day, Danica admitted, "Me too. I think we should see if we can find it."

"You all have me curious about this valley, and the Hellgate," Devan said, rising from her chair. She walked over to where Darkniciad sat, speaking with him for a moment, and then returned. "Darkni says he's curious too, and that this has the smell of something important. He says we should go give it a try."

A breeze blew out of nowhere, causing Devan to look around in confusion. Andrea blushed and said, "Sorry, I guess I still get a little excited about teleporting."

Celes quickly suggested, "See if you can direct it, may as well try to get a grip on your powers."

Andrea nodded and concentrated, thinking it would be wonderful to fly and growing more excited. She let out a yelp of surprise when her chair rose up off the ground on a great gust of air coming from below. Everyone in the room turned toward her when the chair thumped back to the floor a moment later.

Andrea laughed, "Well, I suppose that's not bad for a first try."

"You did pretty well with the fire earlier, too," Danica added with a crooked grin.

Andrea's blush deepened, and she quietly admonished, "Behave."

Danica stood and said, "Well, if we're going to try, we should get to it."

Waving her hand in an impatient gesture, Devan said, "Cast away, sister mine."

Danica intoned the spell, and the portal appeared. When the women stepped inside, Devan remarked, "Your place is a lot prettier than mine. Mine looks like a big bedroom." Looking around for a few moments more, she added, "I guess you do have the imps cowed, I don't even sense their presence."

Danica turned back to the portal and said, "Now, let's see if we can find this place." She concentrated on the image in her mind, and the portal swirled with color for a moment. When the swirling ceased, the women could see the valley they had dreamed of in the portal.

"Must be somewhere to the west, the sun is still up," Devan observed.

Danica felt a surge of emotion that she could only describe as destiny shoot through her. Looking at Celes, Andrea, and Marlena, she guessed that they were feeling the same thing. Opening the portal to the valley with a thought, she said, "Let's go see if it's really like the dream."

The four women nodded and followed Danica through the portal. Danica felt something like a bump – or a knock – in her mind when Devan tried to walk through the portal. Turning, she saw her sister standing on the other side of the portal, looking irritated and confused.

Acting on instinct, Danica wished her sister could enter the valley. With a cry of surprise, Devan fell through the portal, the women already on the other side steadying her as she stumbled.

"The hell was that," Devan muttered.

"I didn't do it, but when I wished you could come in, it just let you through," Danica explained.

"Something just feels... Somehow something feels right about this place," Celes mused.

Experiencing the same sensation, Danica nodded her head in agreement. Andrea and Marlena were also smiling, drinking in the pristine beauty of nature surrounding them.

"It feels like the grass under my feet is irritated at me. I don't think your valley likes me much," Devan grumbled.

Danica looked at her friends and said, "I don't really want to, but let's go back for now and think about this."

Marlena sighed, staring in wonder at the way the light of the sunset was playing on the thick clouds of mists hovering at the edge of the valley. "I don't want to leave either."

A gust of wind whipped Devan's robes, leaving the other women completely undisturbed, even though they were only a couple of feet away. "Well, I'm ready to leave," Devan contradicted.

"Oh, stop that, she's our friend," Andrea said to the breeze.

The wind stopped and Devan looked at Andrea with a curious expression. "Uhm, thanks. It still feels like something doesn't want me here, but the sensation isn't as strong now."

"Danica's right, let's go back for now," Celes suggested.

Turning toward the center of the valley, Andrea said, "We'll be back."

Danica nodded, "Yes, I think we will – and soon."

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Sitting in the room they shared some hours later, the four friends came to a decision.

Danica proceeded to sum things up for her sister, "We're all in danger because we escaped Zoraster, and we endanger anyone we're around because of it. We could probably be safe here or somewhere in Egoria, but that isn't going to stop the demons that will probably come after Celes and Andrea."

"We also know Zoraster's operation from the inside out – as well as anyone not in his inner circle can – and where most of his outposts are. Once we've mastered our powers, and the spells in our mother's books, Andrea and I will be able to fight the demons. All the seers say they are a danger at least as great as Zoraster's schemes," Celes continued.

"You could do all that from right here. Demons aren't going to get past Darkniciad's wards," Devan countered.

"Maybe not, but your pressing need is countering Zoraster and the demon spawn the seers are talking about. All the attacks from the normal demons are going to distract you from that," Danica argued, "We can concentrate on weakening the hellspawn in general, and keeping an eye on the outposts we know about. Something tells me that any enemies we make will have a hard time finding us in that valley."

"And we belong there," Andrea added.

"Please tell me you're at least going to show some common sense, Marlena," Devan begged the red-haired illusionist.

"I don't know what use I'll be, but I think they're right. We belong there, and we can do more to help from the valley than we could anywhere else."

Devan let out an exasperated groan. "Okay, I give up. Honestly, I'm having a hard time arguing with you. That valley didn't want me there. I can just imagine how it would treat a demon or one of Zoraster's black robes. Now, have you figured out how you're going to keep the rain off your heads? I don't think any of you have home builder amongst your list of skills."

Danica smiled. "I have an idea about that. I think between Darkniciad and I – with some help from the other wizards here – I can solve our problem of housing. I have some skill with enchanting magic items, and I'm sure they don't call him Darkni the Enchanter for nothing."

Devan squinted one eye and tilted her head, looking at her sister. "Now you're really making me wonder. Yes, Darkni has more talent for enchantment than any wizard I've ever heard of. He doesn't come by that title lightly."

Danica pulled something out of her bag of holding, showing it to Devan. "This is the spark for my idea."

"Martin's Magnificent Tent," Devan said, recognizing the magic item, "You're thinking about an original creation, bigger and permanent once it has been activated, aren't you?"

Danica nodded to indicate her sister was correct.

Devan thought for a moment, and then advised, "That is going to require an immense amount of power, and money. The gemstones alone required for that type of enchantment are going to cost obscene amounts of coin, unless you want to take up mining."

"Remember that bag of coin you were remarking about when I sent you to get clothes in town? I have a couple of sacks the same size full of gemstones."

Devan looked at her sister with deep surprise evident in her expression. "I know you said Zoraster had immense amounts of money in his strongboxes, but bags of gems?"

"It would have taken us hours to pack it all up. We just grabbed a couple of King's ransoms and got out of there," Celes explained.

Devan shook her head in amazed surprise. "Okay, maybe you've got something workable here. I know Darkni will love the challenge. Let's go talk to him and see what he thinks."

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Darkniciad expressed his deep interest in the idea, and grew more excited by the moment when he realized how much knowledge and talent Danica had in his favorite field of study. They went into a flurry of study and planning, using the enchantment process of the Magnificent Tent as the base from which to build their new item.

Within three days, Danica and Darkni managed to hammer out the enchantment process. They knew it was going to require a tremendous amount of power, but both were confident that there were enough accomplished wizards on the island to manage the task through a joining.

Darkni determined that the lingering effects of Zoraster's broken enchantments should have dissipated by this time, and so he awakened the clones. His estimation that they would behave much as children was very accurate. All of the copies acted much as a four-year-old girl might – save they had an enormous sex drive that was near insatiable. It was the only entertainment the childlike women had ever known, and until introduced to other amusements, they would continue to combat boredom with sexual play. Everyone took turns introducing the clones to games and learning as the days progressed.

Darkniciad stepped back for the next part of the enchantment process, designing the place that would be the home of the four women and the dozen clones for the foreseeable future. Each woman would have a room of their own, with a large private bath, and closets that almost qualified as rooms due to their size. The baths would fill themselves magically, and the chamber pots would empty themselves the same way. The chamber pots would allow the women to sit rather than squat. Danica would have nothing less since she was planning the place from the ground up.